Mama, Let's Tango
by comicfan209
Summary: On the day of her son's wedding, Venus looks back on her life as a mother, and how proud she is to wield that title. Mother's Day one-shot.


I actually came up with this idea a few months back, but decided to wait until the time was right. Felt like writing a holiday fic for a change.

Dedicated to my mother and my grandmother, who showed me that there truly is a rainbow after the storm, as well as all the Monster Mamas out there :)

* * *

_I hope you never lose your sense of wonder_

_You keep your fill to eat, but always keep that hunger_

_May you never take one single breath for granted_

_God forgive love ever keep you empty handed_

_I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean_

_Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens_

_Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance_

_And when you get the choice, to sit it out or dance,_

_I hope you dance, I hope you dance_

-Lee Ann Womack, "I Hope You Dance"

* * *

It was a day that made all mothers cry.

Actually, one of several. As Venus remembered the scene that had happened minutes beforehand, as well as took in the current ceremony, she had to reach for a tissue to dab her eyes again. Screw anyone who thought she was being dramatic, because seriously, when did her baby grow up so fast? The decorations, the food, the fact that everyone was dressed up. For a second, it all seemed like a fairy tale. She still had trouble processing that it was all going on.

Her son was getting married.

Or rather, her son _was _married. After six years of dating and six months of preparing, her precious son Triffan had finally tied the knot with his high school sweetheart. He was officially a husband and Venus officially had a daughter-in-law. The thought alone made her want to burst into tears all over again.

The wedding was over, technically. Walking had commenced, vows had been said, and rings had been exchanged. Now, everyone in attendance had been at town hall, where the reception was occurring. Venus was currently sitting alone at one of the many tables, watching monsters on the dance floor and other attendees conversing. Though normally she hated being alone, this particular day, she didn't mind.

She swirled the champagne in her glass as she glanced around at the scenes unfolding, watching all the children of her friends go about their business. Robecca and Diesel's son Gizmo had, once again, been trying to flirt with Cleo and Deuce's daughter, Isis (who, Venus noted, seemed a lot more interested in Frankie and Holt's son.) Toralei seemed to be trying to resist the two little werecat twins she took in attempting to get her to dance, relenting and allowing them to take her by the hands to the floor. Abbey and Heath's daughter Icestelle was sitting in the back, chatting up a storm with Harriet, the daughter of Clawd and Draculaura. Operetta and Johnny's three sons were getting their instruments ready for the next song, while Scarah's adopted daughter was waiting in line for the drinks, conversing with Howleen's son. Venus also noted with amusement how Clawdeen and Romulus's youngest son Lucas was sheepishly going hand in hand with Catrine's daughter from the tables.

_It seems like love just spawns more love_, Venus thought with amusement. Though she felt a slight twinge of pain that she was one of the only mothers here without a ring on her finger, she quickly brushed it away. Today was a time to be happy. Not be bitter over past drama.

Shaking her head, she focused on the proud feeling she felt in her heart about her new daughter-in-law. Ferrah Blanca was very much a nice girl. A werewolf of Arctic descent, she was one year Triffan's junior. She was bubbly, bright, and soft-spoken, and Venus could see very well that it was inevitable her son had fallen in love with her (quite an unusual couple they were, but nothing was ever normal in Salem anyway.) Thinking once again back to her son, Venus looked over to see him standing off to the side, his hands around his bride's waist as they talked with the best man. Triffan turned his head towards his mother's direction, and upon the two meeting eyes, she smiled and raised her glass.

His grin widening, he turned back towards his wife, and Venus watched as he whispered something in her ear. She looked at him and nodded, and he let go of her as he made his way towards her. Placing her glass on the table, she stood up. "Hey, Mom."

"Hey yourself," she greeted, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms, a smirk on her face. "Something on your mind?"

Triffan smiled sheepishly as he rubbed his neck, "Well, I was just thinking, since we only got to talk a few times today, and seeing how you are my mother, if I may add, the best one out there-"

"Yes?"

"-That I feel it's only right that I you to a dance," he finished, still looking down at her- Venus stood a whole foot shorter than him- with a smile on his face. Venus felt her heart melt. She considered herself a bit lucky; in the long run, her son was one of few who wasn't embarrassed to be a mama's boy. Uncrossing her arms, "You may."

Leading out onto the dance floor, Venus smile's got bigger as she glanced up at her child, Triffan doing the same. Traditionally, she placed her hands on his shoulders and his at her waist. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered to him as they moved, the sweet sound of violins, harps, and other instruments playing a sweet melody. Triffan let loose a small chuckle, "Yeah, well, none of this could have happened without you. I mean…thanks, for what you said back there."

Shortly before the ceremony began, Venus had checked in on her son to see how everything was going. Not surprisingly, he was getting cold feet and panicking, seriously doubting himself and whether or not he was going to screw up his future marriage. Though she had been an equally nervous wreck and very emotional, Venus had calmly talked her son out of his hysteria, convincing him of everything he had to gain from it.

Mentally, Venus frowned when she felt the same twinge of pain return. She was very disappointed and somewhat heartbroken when she learned that Triffan's father was not going to be attending the wedding- even though she knew Triffan didn't want him there in the first place anyway.

She sighed and closed her eyes, still remembering how broken she felt when Sumeric left her- which, in a sense of bittersweet irony, was the day she revealed her pregnancy. She had been left to raise Triffan all on her own, the support of her friends being the only thing that kept her from driving completely over the edge.

She knew that a lot of monsters and ghouls questioned her parenting when she started to show. After all, she was nineteen, not even through her first year of college, she constantly preached about pollution and eco-friendly material, and she dressed like she had just gotten out of the dumpster. From that moment, Venus felt the judgmental glares and silent insults that many had placed on her- she wasn't even safe from her own parents, who treated her like she was going to be on Jerry Springer or something.

But the little baby that was wrapped in a blue blanket and placed into her arms nine months afterward made it all totally worth it. Sure, she was nervous, but she still smiled whenever she felt him kick, and cried when she first saw him in the ultrasound. She loved being pregnant if it meant she would have a little baby that was healthy and strong. He was a part of her.

Venus remembered the night Triffan was born, she had been very scared and very nervous, on the verge of a panic attack. She was alone when her water broke, and it was very late at night. She had been in labor for three hours. It was somewhat funny thinking back on it now. She had kicked, she screamed, she demanded morphine by the gallon, and she cussed out anyone who came near her. It wasn't easy, considering that due to heritage, her body was very sensitive to different drugs and medicines. When the doctor announced that the baby was all the way out, she wanted to kiss him.

And then Triffan was brought to her. A sweet little cherub with a flush on his cheeks and a few wispy tousles of hair sticking up from his cap. Venus had burst into tears, holding him close to her chest and immediately whispering to him that she had loved him. When Triffan opened his eyes for the first time and looked at his mother with beautiful eyes that were the same shade as her own, Venus knew automatically that he was her little angel. He had immediately stopped crying, and just spent the hour afterward marveling in her beautiful baby's innocence, vowing to teach him everything.

And she had. Venus had taught him to walk, talk, read, and write. She showed him how to plant seeds and what was the right amount of water to give to them. She showed him how to ride a bike and how to cook and clean. She had taught him right from wrong and how to trust and get along with others. Throughout the years, seeing Triffan grow- watching him meet new friends and learn new things and become his own individual, Venus could very well say she had done a _damned_ good job at being a mom, let alone a single one.

One of her favorite memories had been the Mother's Day dance that was held at the elementary school. Triffan was seven, and had been the one to ask her to come (because she had raised her son to be a gentleman). She had gone out of her way to buy him a little suit and to get herself ready. She was so proud of him when he actually told her he wouldn't dance on her feet like he used to, and although Triffan was a bad dancer at the time (okay, he still was a bit), nothing warmed Venus's heart more than to see her son hold her hands tightly, complimenting on how much he loved her and how she was the best mom ever. Looking back on it, Venus was just about ready to crack under realizing how much her son loved her.

The day Triffan left for college was one of the hardest days of her life. They had been talking about it, most of it involving visitation times and addresses to call and write to, but neither had ever talked about the white elephant that was, for the first time, they'd truly be apart. She made a party of Triffan, inviting all his closest friends and celebrating throughout the night. But it didn't mean she wasn't dreading the next morning, when all his stuff would be packed up in his car and she'd have to watch him drive off. When they had gathered up everything, the two of them had just stood on the sidewalk, an awkward silence had brewed, and when Venus went to same something, the plant monster suddenly felt herself in tears and nearly crumbling on the sidewalk. She had felt Triffan's arms wrap around her and realized that he was crying just as hard. For a few minutes, the two of them had stood with hugging each other tightly, wanting the moment to last forever. However, they finally managed to break apart, sharing one last goodbye kiss on the cheek before Venus watched her only child drive away to truly start his own life. It had gotten a little better, though. She was able to get over the empty nest syndrome, and they still kept in contact over the next five years.

"Mom?"

Realizing she had been off in space, Venus looked back up at Triffan, who was glancing down at her with slight concern. "Are you okay?"

She had stopped trying to not cry now, and black lines of mascara were running down her cheeks. Venus's soft pink lips trembled as she smiled, and she gently placed a hand on his cheek. "I love you so much. It was like only yesterday I was showing you how to tie your shoe, and now I'm watching you get married."

Triffan returned her smile, his own eyes glassy with the threat of shedding tears. "I love you too, Mom."

Silence passed between the two before they moved closer together and wrapped their arms around each other, their eyes closed. Their hug lasted for several seconds, before the song finally ended and they broke apart.

"Thank you for the dance, sweetheart."

Triffan nodded, and before he broke off to join his wife again, Triffan put his forehead to hers and whispered to her, "Mama?"

"Yes?" Venus was a bit surprised by this. Triffan hadn't called her _Mama_ in years.

"Promise me you'll never stop dancing," he said, not breaking their gaze. Venus blinked for a second, a bit confused by his request. Before she could answer however, Triffan had broken away and went to Ferrah for another dance between the two. Venus stood there in surprise before looking back at the two, teal meeting teal as Triffan looked at her again. Venus smiled as she nodded and mouthed to him.

"I promise."

* * *

**So, as a quick disclaimer, I own all the kids of the monsters who are mentioned and the plot. Other than that, I don't own anything. I'm not an expert at writing mushy stuff like this, so I don't know how it turned out. If you liked it, I'm actually planning another one for Father's Day, so be on the lookout in a few months :)**

**Happy Mother's Day, everyone. -Comicfan209**


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